


Real Estate

by oselle



Series: Birthright [44]
Category: The Faculty (1998)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Gen, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-03
Updated: 2013-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-25 12:51:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/953311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oselle/pseuds/oselle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zeke, with one last piece of unfinished business.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Real Estate

“I can’t say I’ve thought of selling it…don’t think I’d get much for it, way out there you know.”

“Well, I’d like you to sell it to me, sir,” Zeke said. 

The man squinted at him through a fragrant cloud of pipe smoke. “Oh say, now I remember you…you rented that old trailer, must have been oh…almost ten years ago, isn’t that right? You and your brother?”

“That’s right, sir.”

“Say, how’s he doing? He always seemed awfully quiet, few times I met him.”

“He’s…” Dead, Zeke thought. He’s dead and he’s lying out there under the snow, so please just say yes and take my check and let me get out of here. “Fine, sir.”

“My wife and I never could figure out why you two boys wanted to be out there by yourselves…couple of young fellows, my wife always thought you were writing a book, she thought you looked like the artistic type…”

Zeke let the man ramble on while he bent over the hewn-log coffee table and wrote out a check. He held it out to the man with fingers that trembled slightly, and his flow of talk was cut off as suddenly and cleanly as if he’d been corked. The only sound was the shift and whisper of embers in the fireplace.

“That’s way too much, son,” the man said quietly. “That little bit of land isn’t worth that much.”

“It’s worth it to me, sir,” Zeke said. “I would like you to take the check, please.”

The man reached out and put two gnarled fingers on the check.

“I don’t believe in cheating people.”

“You aren’t cheating me, sir.” 

He took the check, and sat with it on his knees. “Well,” he finally said, looking up at Zeke. “I guess I’ll call my lawyer in the morning, then.”

“Thank you, sir,” Zeke said, and let out a shaking breath. He stood up to go.

“Trailer’s still there, if you want it,” the man said to Zeke’s back. Zeke turned at the door and smiled at him. 

“Yes, sir. Thank you.” 

Zeke let himself out into the gray afternoon.


End file.
